Automatic tab inserting mechanism for an envelope making machine



June 11, 1957 2,795,172

' B. E. HANSON AUTOMATIC TAB INSERTING MECHANISM FOR AN ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE Filed June a. 1954 4 Shee ts-Sheet 1 v" mmvrbn. Brbr E.Hanson ATTORNEY AUTOMATIC TAB iNSERTING MECHANISM FOR AN ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 11, 1957 B E HANSON 2,795,172

. INVEVTOR. Bror E.Hanson Wn /QW ATTORN Y June 11, 1957 B. E. HANSON 2,7

AUTOMATIC TAB INSERTING MECHANISM FOR AN ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE F1106. June 8. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a an Q6 INVENTOk B E HANSON 2,795,172

June 11, 1957 AUTOMATIC TAB INSERTING MECHANISM FOR AN ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 8, 1954 INVENTOR.

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AUTOMATIC TAB INSERTING MECHANISM FUR AN ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE Application June 8, 1954, Serial No. 435,105 Claims. (Cl. 9393).

This invention relates to envelope making machines, especially to those machines operating at high speeds.

More particularly, this invention pertains to a mechanism which is capable of inserting narrow strips or tabs of paper between finished envelopes at predetermined distances apart so as to mark off a given number of envelopes in order to facilitate the counting and packaging thereof.

This mechanism was designed for use in connection with the mechanism described in United States Patent No. 2,612,088, issued on September 30, 1952, to Vincent E. Heywood and entitled Closure Flap Folding and Envelope Stacking Mechanism for Envelope Machines. Whereas the mechanism of the instant invention is shown and described in relation to the above-mentioned folding and stacking mechanism, it is understood that my invention could be used in combination with other stacking mechanisms operating upon similar principles.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an automatic tab inserting mechanism for use in connection with enevelope making machines.

It is another object of this invention to provide a mechanism of the type described which is capable of operation with a high-speed envelope-making machine.

Other and further objects and advantageous features will hereinafter more fully appear in connection with a detailed description of the drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my tab inserting mechanism showing its relationship with the flap folding rolls and the delivery rolls of above-mentioned United States Patent No. 2,612,088.

tates Patent Fig. 2 is a right-hand end view of said mechanism Fig. 3 is a partial rear elevation similar to Fig. 1 but on a slightly larger scale.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view .of the tab feeding and cutting elements of Fig. 1, showing some parts in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 shows a conventional envelope delivery wheel 1, for delivering successive completed envelopes E from a pair of flap-folding rolls 2 to a stacking table 3. (The operation of the folding and stacking mechanism is fully described in the above-mentioned United States Patent No. 2,612,088 and will not be further discussed except as it pertains to the instant invention.) The delivery wheel 1 as shown here has three-envelope recesses 4,

5 and 6 for moving envelopes from the folding rolls to the stacking table.

By means of my invention it is possible toinsert a tab of paper between two preselected envelopes as they pass from delivery roll 1 onto table 3. The tabbing mechanism comprises a rotatable roll 7 of strip paper or paper ribbon, whose web W is drawn over idler rolls 8 and 9 by its passage between loop feeding rolls 10 and 11 and between feed rolls '12 and 13. Knife :blade 14 acts in timed relation with the feed rolls 12 and 13 to cut off a tab from the web W. The tab so cut will be "by means of pin 36.

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inserted between the proper two envelopes in timed relation with their delivery from the delivery wheel.

A three-lobed cam 15 (see Fig. 3) is keyed to the rear end of delivery wheel shaft 16 such that the three lobes 15a, 15b and 150 correspond with the three recesses 4, 5 and 6 of the delivery wheel. Cam roll 17 bears against the surface of cam 15 under the influence of spring 18. Cam roll 17 rotates about pin 19 which is fastened to roll arm 20. Roll, arm 20 is keyed to rocker shaft 21 to which rocker arm 22 is also keyed. Spring 18 is connected between rocker arm 22 and bracket 23 which is attached to rear frame plate 24. Link 25 is connected from one end of arm 22 to the lower end of short lever 26 which is keyed to pivot shaft 27.

The lower end of lever 26 is provided with an extension 28 which is adapted to fit into notch 29 of latch 30 (as shown in Fig. 3). Latch 30 is pivotal about pin 31 which is attached to plate 24. A spring 32 is attached to the end of latch 30 in such a manner as to urge the latch in a counterclockwise direction against the extension 28. As shown in Fig. 3, by virtue of the locking action of latch 30 against lever 26, cam roll 17 will be prevented from freely engaging the surface of cam 15. Cam roll 17 in this position will merely engage the high points of the three lobes 15a, 15b and 15c.

A solenoid 33 is connected to the right-hand end of latch 30 (as it appears in Fig. 3) by means of rod 33. When the solenoid is energized, rod 33' will be drawn downwardly and latch 30 will release lever 26 so as to permit cam roll 17 to engage the surface of cam 1%. Cam roll 17 will bear against the cam 15 for degrees of revolution of shaft 16 at which point the roll 17 will engage the next lobe of the cam. Now, the end of extension 28 will engage the notch 29 of latch 30 and the cam will be again locked in position until solenoid 33 is further energized.

Solenoid 33 is energized through an electronic countingsystem (not shown) which operates from a photoelectric eye; The photoelectric eye may be conveniently located in the path of travel of the envelopes near the terminal portion of the flap folding mechanism, as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1. By varying a control on the electronic counter, the solenoid may be energized for every 10, 25, 50 or other convenient number of envelopes.

The forward end of pivot shaft 27 (see Fig. 4) extends from rear frame plate 24 through front frame plate 34. Pivot shaft 27 is journaled in both plates. The forward projecting end of shaft 27 is keyed to a lever 35 upon which feed roll 12 is rotatably mounted The lower end of lever 35 is narrowed as at 37. Narrow end 37 engages a slot 38 in slide bar 39 to which knife blade 14 is attached. Knife blade 14 is adapted to cooperate with cutter block 41 to cut the tabs, as will be later described.

As shaft 27 turns counterclockwise in Fig. 4 (or clockwisein Fig. 3), feed roll 12 will be moved into engagement with feed roll 13 which is constantly rotating. Feed roll 13 is mounted on a shaft 42 which is journaled through both frame plates. Pulley wheel 43 is keyed to shaft 42 at the rear side of frame plate 24. Pulley 43 is connected to drive pulley 44 (see Fig, 2) by means of a V belt (not shown). Drive pulley 44 is keyed to shaft 16.

Since the web W from which the tabs are to be cut passes between feed rolls 12 and 13, the web will be gripped and pulled downwardly during that period of time in which roll 12 is moved against roll 13. As soon as roll 12 moves back in the opposite direction, knife blade 14 will move against cutter block 41 to cut oif a tab. The above described mechanism moves in timed against the cutter block 41 relation with the number of envelopes fed to the delivery wheel by means of the cam and solenoid combination.

It will be assumed that the solenoid has just been energized (see Fig. 3) by virtue of the fact that the preselected number of envelopes has been fed to the delivery wheel. Under these conditions latch 30 will be pulled down and cam roll 17 will be free to travel along the surface of cam 15. When roll 17reaches a low point of the cam between two lobes, the knife blade 14 will be withdrawn and roll 12will be against roll 13 so as to grip the web W. Continued turning of the cam will cause cam roll 17 to approach the next lobe until feed roll 12 moves away from feed roll 13 and knife 14 cuts off the extended portion of the web. At the moment that cam roll 17 reaches the high point of the next lobe, latch 39 will lock the system in position until the next impulse from the electronic counter sets the mechanism in operation again. As the knife blade 14 cuts off the tabs, the latter are inserted into the proper position between the envelopes as they pass by.

After the tab has been severed from the web, the knife blade 14 will remain in its extreme left-hand position until the solenoid is again energized. Thus, the knife blade will act as a stop for the web in that the face of the knife will prevent any downward feeding of the web, as might be caused by the action of the loop-feeding rolls, until the feed rolls again grip the web.

Since the action of feed roll 12 against feed roll 13 is instantaneous and of short duration, there is a tendency for the web to snap or break. Therefore, I have added a pair of loop-feeding rolls and 11 which perform the function of creating a slack portion or a loop in the web in order to counteract this breaking tendency. As can be seen from Fig. 4, roll 10 is rotatably mounted on pin 50 which is secured to lever arm 51. Lever arm 51 is pivoted to frame plate 34 by means of pin 52. Spring 53 is so positioned withrespect to the arm 51 and plate 34as to urge roll 10 against roll 11. Loop feeding roll 11 is keyed to shaft 54 which is journaled in plate 34.

The rear end of shaft 54 fits into a conventional roll clutch (not shown) mounted within a lever member 55 such that shaft 54 is engaged only during a counterclockwise movernent of lever 55 (as it appearsin Fig, 3).'

Lever 55 is pulled in a counterclockwise direction by spring 56 which is attached to, the midpoint of lever 57. Lever 57 is keyed to shaft 27 between plates 24 and 35. The upper end of lever 57 is attached to push rod 58 by means of pin 59. The right-hand end of push rod 58 (Fig. 3) is slotted as at 60. Slot 60 engages a pin 61 on lever 55 to push said lever, clockwise as push rod 58 is urged to the. right. Lever 55 is adapted to strike against brake contactor 62 in its extreme counterclockwise position. In its extreme clockwise position, lever 55 is adapted to strike against tab counting contactor 63, which is part of the tab deflecting system as will be later described. Brake contactor 62 energizes a mechanical brake (not shown) to stop the rotation of loop feeding roll 11.

As can be seen from Fig. 3, when the solenoid is energized and the cam roll 17 is permitted to engage the surface of cam 15, lever 57 will move clockwise as the cam roll approaches its low position between the lobes. The push rod 58 will bear against pin 61 and will turn lever 55 clockwise until lever 55 strikes against contactor .63. Now, as the cam roll' approaches the next lobe the push rod 58 will be moved to the, left; this action will be rapid enough to cause slot 60. to be displaced with respect to pin 61 and spring 56 to be stretched. Spring 56 will cause lever 55 to be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction such that the roll clutch will engage shaft 54 and turn loop feeding roll 11 in a counterclockwise direction (or clockwise as roll 11 appears in Fig. 4). This action will provide a loop of web material for the next movement of the feed rolls. By virtue of the spring action afforded through spring 56, the paper will not break. When lever 55 strikes brake contactor 62, loop feeding roll 11 will be stopped.

In order to count the number of packs of envelopes, I have provided a tab deflecting device which operates from the contactor 63. As shown in Fig. 2, a solenoid operated tab deflector 70 has a deflecting arm 71 which is adapted to push aside individual tabs after they have been severed by knife 14. Tab deflector 70 is energized by contactor 63 through an electric counter (not shown) which can be set for any predetermined number of packs.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for inserting tabs at predetermined positions along a' substantially horizontally moving suc cession of edgewise supported envelopes comprising a means for supporting a supply of web material above said moving succession, a continuously rotating feed roll located between said supporting means and said moving succession, a lever attached near its midpoint to a pivot shaft between said supporting means and said moving succession, a second feed roll mounted for free rotation on the upper end of said lever and adapted upon the pivoting of said lever to urge said web material against said first feed roll whereby said feed rolls will grip said web material and feed it downwardly into said moving succession between two of said envelopes, a knife blade attached to the lower end of said lever, a cutting block located between said first feed roll and said moving succession, whereby said lower end of said lever is adapted to move said knife blade against said cutting block to cut a tab from said web material as said upper end of said lever moves said second feed roll away from said first feed roll, and a means responsive to the delivery of a predetermined number of envelopes to said mechanism for rocking said pivot shaft, whereby said web material is fed into said predetermined position and a tab is severed therefrom.

2. The mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said rocking means includes a rocker arm attached at one end to said pivot shaft, a roller rotatably mounted at the other end of said rocker arm, a continuously rotating cam, a spring attached to said rocker arm for urging said roller towards said cam, a locking device for preventing said roller from contacting said cam, a solenoid adapted on its energizing to disengage said locking device so as to permit said roller to freely contact said cam, and a counting device adapted to energize said solenoid in response to the delivery of said predetermined number of envelopes to said mechanism.

3. The mechanism according to claim 1 including a pair of loop-forming rolls located between said supporting means and said first feed roll for providing a slack portion in said web material between said loop-forming rolls and said first feed roll.

4. A mechanism for inserting tabs at predetermined positions along a substantially horizontal, continuously moving succession of edgewise supported envelopes comprising means for supporting a supply of web material, a continuously rotating feed roll located above said moving succession, a lever attached near its mid-point to a pivot shaft between said feed roll and said moving succession, a second feed roll mounted for free, rotation on the upper end of said lever and adapted upon each ,pivoting of said lever towards said first feed roll to urge said web material against said first feed IOILWhBI'BbY said feed rolls will grip said web material and feed it downwardly and intermittently into said moving succession between two of said envelopes, a knife blade attached to the lower end of said lever, a cutting block located be tween said first feed roll and said moving position, where by said lower end of said lever is adapted to move said knife blade against said cutting block to cut successive tabs from said web material as said upper end of said lever moves said second feed roll away from said first feed roll, and means responsive to the delivery of a predetermined number of articles to said mechanism for rocking said pivot shaft, whereby said web material is fed into each of said predetermined positions and successive tabs are severed therefrom.

5. The mechanism according to claim 4 including a pair of loop-forming rolls mounted above said first feed roll and intermittently operable, in time relation with the cutting action of said knife blade, to form a slack portion of web material between said loop-forming rolls and 10 said feed rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Holton Dec. 1, 1903 Cox July 23, 1912 Hugo Nov. 8, 1927 Goss May 9, 1933 Beckman Oct. 1, 1946 

